Doctors Drive Costs
A new study last week pointed to the common practices of doctors as one driver of high healthcare costs.
Doctors often order medical tests and procedures in the unjustified belief that the test or treatment will be helpful. But actual data comparing outcomes shows that some of the doctor's orders make no difference in results.
Of course, under a rational system, data on outcomes would guide clinical practice. Under the present system, insurance rules, advertising, pharmaceutical sales presentations, the occasional journal article, seminars and conferences all appear to influence test and treatment decisions.
Read the Dartmouth press release here. The story was also covered by covered the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Data driven or evidence based medicine is changing medical practice, however. For a look at the incorporation of data driven medicine into public policy, read this whitepaper. For an overview of the application of evidence based medicine on laboratory testing, consult this article from Clinical Chemistry.
Doctors often order medical tests and procedures in the unjustified belief that the test or treatment will be helpful. But actual data comparing outcomes shows that some of the doctor's orders make no difference in results.
Of course, under a rational system, data on outcomes would guide clinical practice. Under the present system, insurance rules, advertising, pharmaceutical sales presentations, the occasional journal article, seminars and conferences all appear to influence test and treatment decisions.
Read the Dartmouth press release here. The story was also covered by covered the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Data driven or evidence based medicine is changing medical practice, however. For a look at the incorporation of data driven medicine into public policy, read this whitepaper. For an overview of the application of evidence based medicine on laboratory testing, consult this article from Clinical Chemistry.
posted by Mike at 11:06 AM
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